Paint dryer



R. F. GILLUM PAINT DRYER May 15, 1962 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Sept. 17, 1959 INVENTOR. ay G77/0m.

ATTD RN EYB R. F. GILLUM PAINT DRYER May 15, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 17. 1959 INVEN TOR. @y f. 6MM?.

e' @j/wwf@ ArrnRNEYs United States Patent O 3,034,498 PAINT DRYER Ray F. Gillum, Box 227A, Washington Blvd., Baltimore 27, Md. Filed Sept. 17, 1959, Ser. No. 840,632 2 Claims. (Cl. 126-2712) This invention relates to a paint dryer, and more particularly to a device for use in drying painted areas or lines such as the lines which are applied to streets, highways or the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a paint dryer which is adapted to be towedor pulled behind a machine or vehicle such as a machine which paints lines on pavements, streets or other areas, and wherein the apparatus of the present invention will provide a means for quickly and efficiently drying the painted lines or areas so that traiiic will be able to travel over the painted lines without any delay.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mobile paint dryer which includes infra-red heating units as well as means for directing blasts of air onto the painted areas so that the combination of the infrared heating units and the air blasts or discharge means will dry painted surfaces in a highly advantageous manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a paint dryer which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent in th course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and wherein -like reference numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the paint dryer of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2 2 of FIGURE 3. Y

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view illustrating one of the infra-red heating units. f

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view with parts broken away and in section showing one of the air discharge nozzles.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral indicates the paint dryer of the present invention which includes a hollow body member 11 that is mounted on ground engaging Wheels 12 and the Wheels 12 are connected to axles 13. The numeral 114 indicates a forwardly disposed hitch or draw bar which is adapted to be used for connecting the paint dryer 19 to a towing vehicle 15 which may be a conventional machine for making or applying painted lines to streets or other areas.

Positioned in the hollow body member 11 is a horizontally disposed stationary frame 16. The numeral 17 indicates a horizontally disposed movable support member 17 which is adjustable up or down. Screw members 18 are provided for raising or lowering the support member 17, and the screw members 18 are adapted to be manually rotated by means of hand cranks 19. The hollow body member 11 is provided with doors 26 as well as windows 21.

Supported in the hollow body member 11 is a pair of fuel tanks -22 which may hold a suitable quantity of fuel such as propane, and the numeral 23 indicates infra-red heating units which are adapted to heat the area which has been Apainted by the machine 15. The tanks 22 supply fuel for actuating the infra-red heating units 23. The numeral 24 indicates pipe lines which serve to connect the tanks 22 to the heating units 23 so that the fuel can ow through these lines 24, `and valves 25 are provided for controlling the ow of fuel from the tanks to the Tice lines 24 to the units 23. The lines 24 may include a flexible section 26 so as to prevent binding as the units 23 are adjusted up or down as for example when the support member 17 is raised or lowered.

The tanks 22 may be supported on the frame 16 by means of Abraces 27.

Supported on the movable support member 17 is an air blower 28 which is adapted to be operated by a motor 29, and an elongated conduit 30 is connected to the blower 28. A plurality of air discharge nozzles 31 depend from the conduit '60, and the nozzles 31 rare provided with spiral bafes 32, FIGURE 5. The nozzles 31 are arranged contiguous to the heating units 23 and coact with the heating units 23 s'o as to insure that the painted areas will -be dried in the most eicient and eifective manner.

-From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a paint dryer which is especially suitable for use in drying painted surfaces or areas such as the white or yellow lines which are painted on roads, highways or the like. In use, with the parts arranged as shown in the drawings, it will be seen that the paint dryer 1G of the present invention is adapted to be towed or pulled along behind a paint marking machine 15 and the hitch 14 provides a convenient means of attaching the paint dryer 10 to paint marking machines '15, while the wheels 12 permit the desired paint dryer 1i] to be readily moved along a highway or other area. The machine 1G is self contained and suitable accessories may be provided for Vconveniently supporting one or more persons within the body member or housing 11, and the door 20 can be opened as for example when access `to the interior is to he gained from the housing member 11 so that for example valves such as the valves 25 turn in order to control the flow of fuel from the tanks `22 to the heating units 23. 'Ihe fuel in the tanks 22 may ybe propane or the like, and this fuel ows through the lines 24 until it reaches the gas tired unit or infra-red heating units 23.

These units 23 are of conventional construction and have their bottom portions in proximity to the ground or highway which is to be dried so that the heat from the units 23 will help dry the paint which has been applied. At the Sametime the blower 23 will be actuated by means of the motor 29 so that air under pressure will be forced through the conduit `30, and this air vwill then be directed downwardly through the nozzles 31 so that this air will connect with the heatiugrunits 23 to help dry the various painted surfaces.

The framework 16 is stationary or rigidly mounted in the housing 11, whereas the support members 17 are mounted for vertical adjustment by means' of the screw members 18. This adjustment of the support members 17 provides a convenient means of raising and lowering the nozzles 31 as well as the heating units 23 so that these members can be positioned at the desired height with respect to the ground in order to control the effect created by the heating units Aand airv blasts nozzles. The spiral baiiies 32 in the nozzles 31, as shown in FIGURE 5, impart a whirling effect to the air so as to permit the air to cover a greater area in order to bring about faster drying. The lines 24 may be made of a iiexible hose like material or else a portion of the line as indicated by the numeral 26 may be made ilexible lfor resilience so that there will be no binding or jamming as the frame 17 adjusts upwardly or downwardly. y

As shown in FIGURE. 4, each of the heating units 23 consists of a plurality of individual heating sections 33.

The parts may be made of any suitable material and in different shapes or sizes.

The dryer heaters can be used 1n conjunction with the air blower so that the air which issues downwardly from the nozzles 31 may be heated and suitable control means can be provided for regulating or controlling the temperature of the air. The unit of the present invention is adapted to be drawn or pulled behind a paint truck directly in line over the safety lines close enough to the newly painted lines to cause them to Ibe properly dried so that traffic can be permitted to pass immediately `there.-

' behind the paint truck with an infra-red heating arrangement as well as blowers for forcing hot and/or cold air to hasten the drying of the painted lines so that the highway can be used at once without staking out the markers. ln fact the lines will be dry and ready to use soon after they yare applied. The heating elements 23 are adapted to be of the infra-red type which are actuated by propane gas and the number or spacing of these units can be Varied as desired. The blowers can be arranged so that hot r cold air can be applied and the members may move at a convenient speed such Ias l0 miles per hour so that the dryer can have time -to dry the lines when it is applied as above. In certain instances the dryer may be combined with a painting machine as one unit or apparatus. Furthermore, the principles of the present invention may be embodied in -a hand propelled or engine propelled type of machine or vehicle.

VJhat is claimed is:

1. A paint dryer for use in vdrying painted areas or lines such as the lines which-are applied toV streets, highways or the like, comprising a mobile wheeled body member, a horizontally disposed stationary' frame mounted in said body member, a horizontally disposed movable support Ymember positioned in said body member below said frame, said support member being mounted for movement towards' and away Vfrom said frame, screw members for raising and lowering said support member, hand cranks for rotating said screw members, fuel tanks supported in said body member by'V said frame, a plurality of spaced apart infra-red heating Yunits for receiving fuel. from the tanks, said heating units depending from and being operatively connected to said support member, pipe lines ,for supplying fuel from the tanks to the infra-redih'eatingrunits, a motor driven air blower supported by the vsupport member, an elongated conduit connected to said blower,'aV plurality of spacedapart air nozzles depending from said conduit and said nozzles being arranged adjacent said heating units,said heating units being in axial lalinernent withv each other and the air nozzles being located between and in axial alinement with the heating units and spiral baies in said nozzles.

Y2. A paint dryer for `use in drying painted areas or lines such as the lines which yare applied to streets, highways or the like, comprising a mobile wheeled body The present invention will be a big savings in labor and traiic Y will ybe able to keep moving since -traic can run overv the lines immediately without smearing. With the combination of the heat and air provided by the present invention, the heavy portions of the paint will be driven into the pavement or highway while the lighter particles of the paint will remain near the surface of the highways so that these lighter particles can be blown away by the air and the plurality ofthe heating and air nozzles insures that all of the various surfaces will be effectively treated or dried. Each of rthe heating units 23 may include a plurality of burnerssections 33 as previously stated,rand the heating units 23 may operate off any s uitable fuel such as propane gas, natural gas, or the like. These units can be operated at a low cost and will heat only the areas which are to be dried.

The dryer of `the present invention can be used for drying painted safety lines on highways, parking lots, air strips or the like. In certain instances the infra-red units may be operated electrically. Due to the provision of the instant heat and air combination unit, evaporation will be speeded up and th'e normal drying time will be shortened.

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of etails coming within the iield of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice if desired,

member, a horizontally disposed stationary frame mounted in said body member, la horizontally disposed mevable supportrmember positioned in said body member below Vsaid frame, said support member being mounted -for movement towards and away from said frame, screw members for raising and lowering said support member, hand cranks for rotating said screw members, fuel tanks ysupported in said body member lby said frame, a plurality of spaced apart intra-red heating units for receiving fuel from the tanks, said heating units depending from and being operatively connected to said support member, pipe lines for supplying fuel from the tanks to the infra-red heating units, a motor driven vair blower supported by the support member, an elongated conduit connected Vto Vsaid blower, a plurality of spaced apart air nozzles depending from Said conduit and said nozzles being arranged adjacent said heating units, said heating units being in axial alinement with each other and the yair nozzles being located between and in axial alinement with the heating units, and spiral baflies in said nozzles, said pipe lines including flexible sections.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

